2004–05 Scottish Premier League

The 2004–05 Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers, who claimed the title on the final day of the season by a single point from Celtic, who had gone into the final fixtures leading and were still ahead in the closing minutes of their last game against Motherwell until they conceded two goals (both scored by striker Scott McDonald),[1] costing them the title with Rangers winning their match against Hibernian in Edinburgh.[2] The dramatic events became known in popular culture as 'Helicopter Sunday' due to the aircraft ceremonially delivering the championship trophy changing direction in mid-flight as the identity of its winners altered suddenly.[3]

Scottish Premier League
Season2004–05
Dates6 August 2004 – 21 May 2005
ChampionsRangers
Champions LeagueRangers
Celtic
UEFA CupHibernian
Dundee United
Intertoto CupNone
Matches played228
Goals scored595 (2.61 per match)
Top goalscorerJohn Hartson (25)
Biggest home winCeltic 6–0 Dunfermline (12 March)
Biggest away winLivingston 0–4 Celtic (13 April)

As league champions, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions League, with runners-up Celtic also qualifying. Third-placed Hibernian qualified for the UEFA Cup, as did Dundee United, who took the Scottish Cup place despite losing the final to Celtic.

Dundee were relegated, and Scottish First Division winners Falkirk were promoted.

John Hartson was the top scorer with 25 goals for Celtic, whose manager Martin O'Neill stepped down at the end of the season after five years and a host of major trophies.

Teams

Promotion and relegation from 2003–04

Promoted from First Division to Premier League

Relegated from Premier League to First Division

Stadia and locations
Aberdeen Celtic Dundee Dundee United
Pittodrie Stadium Celtic Park Dens Park Tannadice Park
Capacity: 20,866[4] Capacity: 60,411[5] Capacity: 11,506[6] Capacity: 14,223[7]
Dunfermline Athletic
Location of teams in 2004–05 Scottish Premier League
 Heart of Midlothian
East End Park Tynecastle Park
Capacity: 12,509[8] Capacity: 17,420[9]
Hibernian Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Easter Road Caledonian Stadium[10]
Capacity: 16,531[11] Capacity: 7,500[12]
Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers
Rugby Park Almondvale Stadium Fir Park Ibrox Stadium
Capacity: 17,889[13] Capacity: 10,016[14] Capacity: 13,677[15] Capacity: 50,817[16]

Personnel
Team Manager
Aberdeen Jimmy Calderwood
Celtic Martin O'Neill
Dundee Jim Duffy
Dundee United Gordon Chisholm
Dunfermline Athletic Jim Leishman
Heart of Midlothian Steven Pressley
John McGlynn (joint caretakers)
Hibernian Tony Mowbray
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Craig Brewster
Kilmarnock Jim Jefferies
Livingston Richard Gough
Motherwell Terry Butcher
Rangers Alex McLeish

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Manner of departure Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Aberdeen Steve Paterson 24 May 2004 Sacked Pre-season Jimmy Calderwood 28 May 2004
Dunfermline Athletic Jimmy Calderwood 28 May 2004 Signed by Aberdeen David Hay 17 June 2004
Livingston David Hay 1 June 2004 Contract Expired Allan Preston 4 June 2004
Heart of Midlothian Craig Levein 29 October 2004 Signed by Leicester City 6th John Robertson 3 November 2004
Inverness Caledonian Thistle John Robertson 3 November 2004 Signed by Heart of Midlothian 9th Craig Brewster 25 November 2004
Livingston Allan Preston 25 November 2004 Sacked 12th Richard Gough 30 November 2004
Dundee United Ian McCall 14 March 2005 Sacked 12th Gordon Chisholm 14 March 2005 (interim)
14 May 2005 (permanent)
Dunfermline Athletic David Hay 3 May 2005 Sacked 12th Jim Leishman 3 May 2005
Heart of Midlothian John Robertson 9 May 2005 Sacked 5th Steven Pressley
John McGlynn (joint caretakers)		 11 May 2005

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 Rangers 38 29 6 3 78 22 +56 93 Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
2 Celtic 38 30 2 6 85 35 +50 92 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3 Hibernian 38 18 7 13 64 57 +7 61 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4 Aberdeen 38 18 7 13 44 39 +5 61
5 Heart of Midlothian 38 13 11 14 43 41 +2 50
6 Motherwell 38 13 9 16 46 49 −3 48
7 Kilmarnock 38 15 4 19 49 55 −6 49
8 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 38 11 11 16 41 47 −6 44
9 Dundee United 38 8 12 18 41 59 −18 36 Qualification for the UEFA Cup second qualifying round[lower-alpha 2]
10 Livingston 38 9 8 21 34 61 −27 35
11 Dunfermline Athletic 38 8 10 20 34 60 −26 34
12 Dundee 38 8 9 21 37 71 −34 33 Relegation to the Scottish First Division
Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.
  2. As Celtic, the 2004–05 Scottish Cup winners, qualified for the UEFA Champions League via their league position, the place in the UEFA Cup was passed onto Dundee United, the cup runners-up.

Top scorers
Scorer Club Goals
John Hartson Celtic 25
Derek Riordan Hibernian 20
Nacho Novo Rangers 19
Dado Pršo Rangers 18
Kris Boyd Kilmarnock 17
Scott McDonald Motherwell 15
Garry O'Connor Hibernian 14
Steve Lovell Dundee 12
Chris Sutton Celtic 12
Darren Mackie Aberdeen 12
Stiliyan Petrov Celtic 11
Paul Hartley Hearts 11

Source: SPL official website

Attendances

The average attendances for SPL clubs during the 2004–05 season are shown below:

Team Average
Celtic 57,906
Rangers 48,676
Aberdeen 13,576
Hibernian 12,541
Hearts 12,219
Dundee United 8,210
Motherwell 6,960
Dundee 6,879
Dunfermline Athletic 6,192
Kilmarnock 5,930
Livingston 5,157
Inverness CT 4,067

Source: SPL official website

Monthly awards
Month Manager Player Young Player
August Jimmy Calderwood (Aberdeen) Alan Thompson (Celtic) Alexander Diamond (Aberdeen)
September Terry Butcher (Motherwell) Scott McDonald (Motherwell) Derek Riordan (Hibernian)
October John Robertson (Inverness CT) Fernando Ricksen (Rangers) Steven Fletcher (Hibernian)
November Alex McLeish (Rangers) Nacho Novo (Rangers) Derek Riordan (Hibernian)
December Tony Mowbray (Hibernian) Aiden McGeady (Celtic) Derek Riordan (Hibernian)
January Martin O'Neill (Celtic) Chris Sutton (Celtic) Derek Riordan (Hibernian)
February Alex McLeish (Rangers) Dado Pršo (Rangers) Lee Miller (Hearts)
March Craig Brewster (Inverness CT) Craig Bellamy (Celtic) Aiden McGeady (Celtic)
April Gordon Chisholm (Dundee United) Burton O'Brien (Livingston) Lee Miller (Hearts)
May Tony Mowbray (Hibernian) Dado Pršo (Rangers) Derek Riordan (Hibernian)

References
  1. Motherwell 2-1 Celtic, BBC Sport, 22 May 2005
  2. Hibernian 0-1 Rangers, BBC Sport, 21 May 2005
  3. Helicopter Sunday: Rangers' last-gasp triumph, 15 years on, BBC Sport, 21 May 2020
  4. "Aberdeen Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  5. "Celtic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  6. "Dundee Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. "Dundee United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  8. "Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  9. "Heart of Midlothian Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 2013-10-22. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. Inverness played their first fourteen home fixtures at Pittodrie Stadium, while the Caledonian Stadium was expanded.
  11. "Hibernian Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  12. "Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  13. "Kilmarnock Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  14. "Livingston Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  15. "Motherwell Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  16. "Rangers Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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